ES 350 Reviews News (Road Tests, Reviews from C&D, R&T, CR, IL, etc.)

Note that it says that the car is smooth riding, when you want to drive that way and it is quick and agile when pushed. That's not describing a boaty boaty ride."The ride characteristics follow this lead. The suspension (MacPherson struts all round with anti-roll bars at both ends) is, on one hand, comfortably compliant, yet it manages to hold its own in a faster corner.

The amount of body roll is well controlled and, when the driver does manage to put a wheel wrong, the traction and vehicle stability control systems are ready to step in to save the day.

More impressive is the manner in which it all comes together. The previous car tended to feel almost -- dare I say -- sloppy when pushed.

The new vehicle is sharper to the feel and much more driver-oriented. Considering its station in life, the ES 350 is a remarkably entertaining piece to drive, be that quickly or not."

"Once a solid but oh so stolid set of wheels, the latest ES breaks the mould by delivering a car that is sassy enough to attract the younger crowd Lexus is seeking without alienating the company's traditional buyers.

What really impresses, however, is just how well everything has been integrated into the finished item -- it is good enough that Lexus lifts the entry-level luxury-car bar by a substantial measure."

What car is faster of this weight, price range etc?I don't want to hear such and such a car is 2 or 3 tenths of second faster. It's a moot point. it has no relation in real world driving.

Where do you have to be so quickly? So you have to go 0-60 10 times on the way to work, and you get there 2 seconds later?!!!!

Wake up 5 minutes earlier in the morning!!!

Do you floor it at every light to get it to 60? Most people are a bit more gradual.

The ES is NOT slow. If you want a faster car buy a Lexus IS or a sports car, but I bet that won't be as safe, or it will burn a lot more gas.

I'm just tired of hearing these unfair negative comments about this car.-------------------

Lexus is promoting smoking?!!! OH MY!

So you buy a Lexus ES and notice the ashtray. So you're going to look at it and say: "Hey, I think I'll take up smoking because there is an ashtray there!!!"Such a moron needs to be goggled up by Natural Selection.

A 7.2 second 0 to 60 time is fast enough for this car. Remember, this is a boulevard cruiser - not an enthusiast's car. If you want something faster, you shouldn't even be considering anything with FWD.

I'm not knocking the ES. My wife has a '99 ES 300 & loves it. It's smooth, stylish & troublefree. Those are the qualities that she looks for in her car, & that's why she'll probably buy the new ES 350. It wouldn't be my choice - I like RWD & 3 pedals on the floor - but then it's not my turn for a new car.

"I'm just tired of hearing these unfair negative comments about this car."

Dude, enhance your calm. This is a discussion. People are going to differ in their opinions over the new ES, which by the way IMO is vastly improved over the previous model.God forbid- somebody having a different opinion than the one you hold :surprise:

The ES is NOT slow. If you want a faster car buy a Lexus IS or a sports car, but I bet that won't be as safe, or it will burn a lot more gas.

Yes, the ES 350 at 7.2 seconds to 60 mph IS slow.

Car and Driver timed the new Lincoln Zephyr which has 221 HP and a measly 205 ft.-lb. of torque at 7.3 sec. to 60. The new Buick Lucerne CXS' 0-60 time is 6.9 sec. By those metrics the Lexus is most certainly tortoise-like, especially in comparison to the Lincoln. Why is the car's powertrain so inefficient that it can't harness the stated HP and torque into a less leisurely time than 7.2 seconds to 60??!

Moreover, any car in this price range and segment had better be faster to 60 than 7.0 sec. Additionally, one does not have to drive the car like a fiend to appreciate the potential power, it's just nice to know it's there considering the cost and cachet of the marque.

As for the IS, it is an overpriced car for midgets.

And by including a [non-permissible content removed] tray in the car, Lexus most certainly is making a statement that it at least tacitly approves of nicotine addiction. Now that is disgusting.

Dude, enhance your calm. This is a discussion. People are going to differ in their opinions over the new ES, which by the way IMO is vastly improved over the previous model. God forbid- somebody having a different opinion than the one you hold

Well said, ggesq. Ol' Shred seems to have a thin skin when it comes to defending the car's deficits. And I agree, the ES is much improved over the previous version even though the acceleration doesn't pass muster in my book.

the ES is likely faster than any similar car that was put on the market 5 years ago, but now that is "slow"???

so what if it is not "as fast" as its competitors - that does not make it "slow"

if the car is too slow for you, then don't buy one.

as to the ASH tray - many of us use it for other purposes, and many people smoke other than cigarettes - I guess you'd rather they flick ashes out the window. THAT, my friends, is disgusting. Lexus is making a statement that it does not approve of people throwing lit matches or burning cigarettes out of your car. Thank you, Lexus, for saving us from cigarette smoker's most disgusting and more prevalent habit, usually caused by smokers who DON'T HAVE ASH TRAYS!

the 7.2 0-60 time is only from that one website. As you know, I'm sure, Lexus quotes the time as 6.8 and you know what? With 272hp and 248 lb/ft of torque on a car weighing 3580, I'm pretty sure lexus is right and this one website is wrong.

A 6.8 time to 60 is not slow at all. In fact I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see one of the major car mags find out it's even faster.

the ES is likely faster than any similar car that was put on the market 5 years ago, but now that is "slow"???

One slight problem with your logic: it's now 2006, not 2001.

as to the ASH tray - many of us use it for other purposes, and many people smoke other than cigarettes - I guess you'd rather they flick ashes out the window.

If they smoke anything, that is disgusting. They should not have any ashes to "flick" anywhere. If the space is to be used for other than the facilitation of nicotine (or other substance as per your comment) addiction, then it should be so designed by Lexus designers rather than attempting to curry favor with those who would pollute the environment while attempting to damage their own health as well as the health of others. If other car manufacturers, who are obviously more socially conscious, can design [non-permissible content removed] trays out of their cars, why can't Lexus? Any attempt to intellectually condone or salute this behavior implies complicity with it.

I wouldn't put a look of credence in the review of the ES posted above. I'm always suspicious of reviews that are completely uncritical--everything is praised. It's more like a product ad than a critical and independent review. In fact, body roll is not well controlled, as the reviewer claims; there's lots of it. The ES might be a great car, but it's not perfect, and the job of an auto critic is to hit the lows as well as the highs.

0 to 60 doesn't really mean that much. The top speed on a euro-spec BMW 330Ci is electronically limited to 155mph. In a 1/2 mile run, a Dodge Viper can out-run an F-16 with MIL power set and afterburners on:

Consumer Reports just quit recommending the Toyota Camry V6 because of problems with the six-speed transmission it shares with the ES350. The ES350's reliability is now listed as just average.

My impression is that the transmission problems seemed to be largely in early production of both the Camry and ES350. But it sounds like Toyota is paying the price for putting out a new design before it was perfected.

There are 3 things I don't like about the ES 350. First of all the radio is for the birds, I drove 2 Acura TL's before getting my ES 350,the radio with the BOSE in the Acura was far superior. The interior lights both front and rear are horrible. The controls for the heated seats are in a horrible location under the center armrest. Just try to adjust them while driving. My wife drives a 2003 Camry XLE V6. Great radio,plenty of light front and rear, push buttons for the heated seats. Who was responsible for the screw up with the ES350?

You most likely didn't get the Mark Levinson which is far superior to Bose, I assure you. I know this because my previous car had a Bose installed. When I purchased the ES 350 with the Mark Levinson, the difference was night and day.